Methods and apparatus to facilitate active protection of peripheral sensors

ABSTRACT

Method and apparatus are disclosed for facilitating active protection of peripheral sensors. An example vehicle includes a sensor and a sensor protector. The example sensor protector is configured to, responsive to a vehicle collision, obtain diagnostic information from the sensor. The example sensor protector is also configured to determine whether to move the sensor from a first position to a second position based on the diagnostic information. The example sensor protector is also configured to cause the sensor to from the first position to the second position based on the determination.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure generally relates to vehicle sensors and, morespecifically, to methods and apparatus to facilitate active protectionof peripheral sensors.

BACKGROUND

Vehicles, especially autonomous vehicles, are equipped with a pluralityof sensors, such as radars, cameras, LiDAR, etc. These sensors play avital role in providing driver assistance and safety features. Theunavailability of any one of the sensors can degrade features of thevehicle. In the case of autonomous vehicles, the equipped sensors may becrucial to the functioning of the autonomous vehicle and theunavailability of any one of the sensors may stop the autonomous vehiclefrom functioning.

SUMMARY

The appended claims define this application. The present disclosuresummarizes aspects of the embodiments and should not be used to limitthe claims. Other implementations are contemplated in accordance withthe techniques described herein, as will be apparent to one havingordinary skill in the art upon examination of the following drawings anddetailed description, and these implementations are intended to bewithin the scope of this application.

Example embodiments are shown for facilitating active protection ofperipheral sensors. An example disclosed vehicle includes a sensor and asensor protector. The example sensor protector is configured to,responsive to a vehicle collision, obtain diagnostic information fromthe sensor. The example sensor protector is also configured to determinewhether to move the sensor from a first position to a second positionbased on the diagnostic information. The example sensor protector isalso configured to cause the sensor to from the first position to thesecond position based on the determination.

An example disclosed method includes detecting, via a processor of avehicle, that a collision associated with the vehicle occurred, andresponsive to the vehicle collision, obtaining, via the processor,diagnostic information from a sensor. The example method also includesdetermining, via the processor, whether to move the sensor from a firstposition to a second position based on the diagnostic information, andcausing the sensor to move from the first position to the secondposition based on the determination

An example disclosed apparatus includes a housing including a frontupper bracket, a front lower bracket, and a groove. The exampleapparatus also includes a sensor mounted to the housing and positionedbetween the front upper bracket and the front lower bracket, and whereinthe housing and the sensor rotate along the groove of the housing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a better understanding of the invention, reference may be made toembodiments shown in the following drawings. The components in thedrawings are not necessarily to scale and related elements may beomitted, or in some instances proportions may have been exaggerated, soas to emphasize and clearly illustrate the novel features describedherein. In addition, system components can be variously arranged, asknown in the art. Further, in the drawings, like reference numeralsdesignate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

FIG. 1 illustrates an example vehicle in accordance with the teachingsherein.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary front view of an example activeprotection sensor of the vehicle of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary back view of the example activeprotection sensor of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary side view of the example activeprotection sensor of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary front perspective view of the activeprotection sensor of FIG. 2.

FIG. 6A and FIG. 6B are side diagrammatical views of one exampleembodiment of the active protection sensor transitioning from anon-activated position to an activated position.

FIG. 7A, FIG. 7B, and FIG. 7C are side diagrammatical views of anotherexample embodiment of the active protection sensor transitioning fromthe non-activated position to the activated position.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram of electronic components of the vehicle ofFIG. 1.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart of a method to activate the active protectionsensors of the vehicle of FIGS. 1-8 in response to detecting animpending collision, which may be implemented by the electroniccomponents of FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart of a method to perform post-impact diagnostics ofthe active protection sensors of the vehicle of FIGS. 1-8, which may beimplemented by the electronic components of FIG. 8.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS

While the invention may be embodied in various forms, there are shown inthe drawings, and will hereinafter be described, some exemplary andnon-limiting embodiments, with the understanding that the presentdisclosure is to be considered an exemplification of the invention andis not intended to limit the invention to the specific embodimentsillustrated.

Vehicles, especially autonomous vehicles, are equipped with a pluralityof sensors, such as radars, cameras, LiDAR, etc. These sensors play avital role in providing driver assistance and safety features. Theunavailability of any one of the sensors can degrade features of thevehicle. In the case of autonomous vehicles, the equipped sensors may becrucial to the functioning of the autonomous vehicle and theunavailability of any one of the sensors may stop the autonomous vehiclefrom functioning.

Examples disclosed herein include a vehicle system to facilitate activeprotection of peripheral sensors of the vehicle. The vehicle systemmonitors the vehicle for an impending collision, and, in response todetecting an impending collision, determines portion(s) of the vehiclethat may be impacted by the impending collision. The vehicle system thenactivates (or triggers an activation of) a sensor protection mechanismfor the peripheral sensor(s) positioned in the determined portion(s) ofthe vehicle. In some examples, the vehicle system activates the sensorprotection mechanism for the peripheral sensor(s) by triggering anactuator to retract the peripheral sensor(s) away from the periphery ofthe vehicle. In some examples, the vehicle system activates the sensorprotection mechanism for the peripheral sensor(s) by triggering anactuator to rotate (or swivel) the peripheral sensor(s) to change theposition of the peripheral sensor relative to the expected position ofimpact. In some examples, the vehicle system continues monitoring thevehicle to determine whether the detected collision occurred and if nocollision occurred (e.g., within an expected time interval, or if theexpected path of travel changes, etc.), the vehicle system returns theperipheral sensor(s) to their original position (e.g., at or near theperiphery of the vehicle).

However, it may not always be possible to detect an impending collision.In some such instances, the vehicle system may be unable to activate thesensor protection mechanism prior to a collision. To further protect theperipheral sensors, the vehicle includes active protection housing inwhich the peripheral sensors may be mounted. The active protectionhousing enables additional degrees of freedom for the peripheral sensorduring impact. For example, the force of impact may cause a physicalactivation of the active protection mechanism of the peripheral sensors,resulting in the peripheral sensor being retracted from the periphery ofthe vehicle and/or rotated away from the location of impact.

Once a collision occurs (either previously detected and resulting in atriggered activation of the sensor protection mechanism or not detectedand resulting in a physical activation of the sensor protectionmechanism), examples disclosed herein include the vehicle system toperform post-impact diagnostics of the peripheral sensors of thevehicle. For example, the vehicle system may request diagnosticinformation from the peripheral sensors. In some examples, the vehiclesystem determines whether the sensor protection mechanism was triggered(e.g., the collision was detected as an impending collision). In somesuch examples, if the vehicle system determines that the sensorprotection mechanism was triggered, the vehicle system determineswhether the peripheral sensor can be returned to its original position(e.g., at or near the periphery of the vehicle) and returns theperipheral sensor to its original position, if appropriate. In someexamples, the vehicle system determines whether the peripheral sensormoved (e.g., relative to its original position at or near the peripheryof the vehicle). In some such examples, if the vehicle system determinesthat the peripheral sensor moved, the vehicle system determines whetherthe peripheral sensor can be returned to its original position (e.g., ator near the periphery of the vehicle) and returns the peripheral sensorto its original position, if appropriate. In some examples, if thevehicle system determines that the peripheral sensor cannot be returnedto its original position, the vehicle system keeps the peripheral sensorin its sensor protection mechanism activated position until a properinspection of the sensor is performed.

By triggering the sensor protection mechanism for the peripheral sensorsof the vehicle, the vehicle system increases safety by reducing thelikelihood of the user being stranded or traveling at-risk due to aperipheral sensor being disabled. Activating the sensor protectionmechanisms may also reduce the cost of repair of the vehicle after anaccident. The vehicle system may also facilitate reducing costsassociated with driving a vehicle, such as insurance costs. Furthermore,by performing post-impact diagnostics, the vehicle system is able toconfirm that the peripheral sensors are able to be returned to theiroriginal positions and are properly functioning (e.g., as designed andcalibrated).

As used herein, “peripheral sensors” are sensors that are positioned ator near the periphery of the vehicle. Peripheral sensors may have anincreased likelihood of incurring damage during a collision. Forexample, a sensor that is positioned in a bumper of the vehicle well mayhave an increased likelihood of being damaged during a collision withanother vehicle and/or an object.

As used herein, a “triggered activation” is an activation of the sensorprotection mechanism that is caused (or triggered) by the vehiclesystem. For example, the vehicle system may detect an impendingcollision and trigger an activation of the sensor protection mechanismfor one or more of the peripheral sensors of the vehicle.

As used herein, a “physical activation” is an activation of the sensorprotection mechanism that is caused due to the impact of a collision.For example, the force of impact may cause the sensor protectionmechanism to activate for one or more of the peripheral sensors of thevehicle.

As used herein, a “non-activated position” of a peripheral sensor(sometimes referred to herein as an “original position”) is thecalibrated position of the peripheral sensor. For example, before thevehicle leaves the factory, a calibrated position (e.g., a 2D-coordinateor 3D-coordinate) of each of the peripheral sensors is determined (ormeasured) with respect to the periphery of the vehicle and/or withrespect to another component of the vehicle. The calibrated positionsare stored by the vehicle system and used as reference positions, forexample, when determining whether the peripheral sensor moved.

As used herein, an “activated position” of a peripheral sensor(sometimes referred to herein as a “safe position”) is the position thatthe peripheral sensor moves to in response to either a triggeredactivation or a physical activation. For example, in a low intensitycrash scenario (e.g., when the vehicle is traveling less than 15 milesper hour, a collision at a stop sign or traffic light, etc.), theactivated position of a peripheral sensor may be a retracted positionthat moves the peripheral sensor out of the crush zone of the vehicle.In some examples, the activated position of a peripheral sensor may be arotated position that reduces the likelihood of direct contact betweenthe peripheral sensor and the object impacting the vehicle. In someexamples, the activated position of a peripheral sensor is arotated-and-retracted position relative to the non-activated position ofthe peripheral sensor.

Turning to the figures, FIG. 1 illustrates a vehicle 100 (sometimesreferred to herein as a “host vehicle”) operating in accordance with theteachings of this disclosure. The vehicle 100 may be a standard gasolinepowered vehicle, a hybrid vehicle, an electric vehicle, a fuel cellvehicle, and/or any other mobility implemented type of vehicle. The hostvehicle 100 may be any type of motor vehicle, such as a car, a truck, asemi-trailer truck, or a motorcycle, etc. The host vehicle 100 includesparts related to mobility, such as a powertrain with an engine, atransmission, a suspension, a driveshaft, and/or wheels, etc. The hostvehicle 100 may be non-autonomous, semi-autonomous (e.g., some routinemotive functions controlled by the host vehicle 100), or autonomous(e.g., motive functions are controlled by the host vehicle 100 withoutdirect driver input).

In the illustrated example of FIG. 1, the vehicle 100 includes a bodycontrol module (BCM) 102, an advanced driving assistance system (ADAS)104, an inter-vehicle communication module (IVCM) 106, an on-boardcommunication module (OBCM) 108, an infotainment head unit (IHU) 110,and a sensor protector 112.

The body control module (BCM) 102 controls one or more subsystemsthroughout the vehicle 100, such as power windows, power locks, animmobilizer system, power mirrors, etc. For example, the body controlmodule 102 includes circuits that drive one or more of relays (e.g., tocontrol wiper fluid, etc.), brushed direct current (DC) motors (e.g., tocontrol power seats, power locks, power windows, wipers, etc.), steppermotors, LEDs, etc.

The advanced driving assistance system (ADAS) 104 facilitatessituational awareness around the vehicle 100. The ADAS 104 may includeor may be incorporated into vehicle systems that provide guidance andassistance to drivers, such as blind spot detection and rear collisionwarning, etc. The ADAS 104 uses sensors (e.g., the sensors 806 of FIG. 8below) to detect and identify objects (e.g. vehicles, pedestrian,traffic signs, etc.) around the vehicle 100.

The inter-vehicle communication module (IVCM) 106 includes antenna(s),radio(s) and software to broadcast messages and to establishcommunication between the vehicle 100 and target vehicles, roadsideunits, and/or mobile device-based modules (not shown). More informationon the inter-vehicle communication network and how the network maycommunicate with vehicle hardware and software is available in the U.S.Department of Transportation's Core June 2011 System RequirementsSpecification(http://www.its.dot.gov/meetings/pdf/CoreSystem_SE_SyRS_RevA%20(2011-06-13).pdf),which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety along with allof the documents referenced on pages 11 to 14 of the SyRS report. Theinter-vehicle communication systems may be installed on vehicles andalong roadsides on infrastructure. The inter-vehicle communicationsystems incorporated into infrastructure (e.g., traffic signals, streetlights, municipal cameras, etc.) is known as a “roadside” system orunit. Inter-vehicle communication may be combined with othertechnologies, such as Global Position System (GPS), Visual LightCommunication (VLC), Cellular Communications, and short range radar,facilitating the vehicles communicating their position, speed, heading,relative position to other objects and to exchange information withother vehicles or external computer systems. Inter-vehicle communicationsystems can be integrated with other systems such as mobile phones.

In some examples, the inter-vehicle communication module 106 implementsthe Dedicated Short Range Communication (DSRC) protocol. Currently, theDSRC network is identified under the DSRC abbreviation or name. However,other names are sometimes used, usually related to a Connected Vehicleprogram or the like. Most of these systems are either pure DSRC or avariation of the IEEE 802.11 wireless standard. However, besides thepure DSRC system, it is also meant to cover dedicated wirelesscommunication systems between cars and roadside infrastructure systems,which are integrated with GPS and are based on an IEEE 802.11 protocolfor wireless local area networks (such as, 802.11p, etc.).

The on-board communications module (OBCM) 108 includes wired or wirelessnetwork interfaces to enable communication with external networks. Theon-board communications module 108 includes hardware (e.g., processors,memory, storage, antenna, etc.) and software to control the wires and/orwireless network interfaces. In the illustrated example, the on-boardcommunications module 108 includes one or more communication controllersfor standards-based networks (e.g., Global System for MobileCommunications (GSM), Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS),Long Term Evolution (LTE), Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), WiMAX(IEEE 802.16m); local area wireless network (including IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n/ac or others), and Wireless Gigabit (IEEE 802.11ad), etc.). Insome examples, the on-board communications module 108 includes a wiredand/or wireless interface (e.g., an auxiliary port, a Universal SerialBus (USB) port, a Bluetooth® wireless node, etc.) to communicativelycouple with a mobile device (e.g., a smartphone, a smart watch, atablet, etc.). In such examples, the vehicle 100 may communicate withthe external network via the coupled mobile device. The externalnetwork(s) may be a public network, such as the Internet; a privatenetwork, such as an intranet; or combinations thereof, and may utilize avariety of networking protocols now available or later developedincluding, but not limited to, TCP/IP-based networking protocols. Insome examples, the vehicle 100 communicates with an external server, viathe on-board communications module 108 to receive information (e.g.,weather, traffic, etc.) about a current location of the vehicle 100.

The infotainment head unit (IHU) 110 provides an interface between thevehicle 100 and a user. The infotainment head unit 110 includes digitaland/or analog interfaces (e.g., input devices and output devices) toreceive input from the user(s) and display information. The inputdevices may include, for example, a control knob, an instrument panel, adigital camera for image capture and/or visual command recognition, atouch screen, an audio input device (e.g., cabin microphone), buttons,or a touchpad. The output devices may include instrument cluster outputs(e.g., dials, lighting devices, etc.) actuators, a heads-up display, acenter console display (e.g., a liquid crystal display (“LCD”), anorganic light emitting diode (“OLED”) display, a flat panel display, asolid state display, etc.), and/or speakers. In the illustrated example,the infotainment head unit 110 includes hardware (e.g., a processor orcontroller, memory, storage, etc.) and software (e.g., an operatingsystem, etc.) for an infotainment system (such as SYNC® and MyFordTouch® by Ford®. Additionally, the infotainment head unit 110 displaysthe infotainment system on, for example, the center console display.

In the illustrated example of FIG. 1, the vehicle 100 includes thesensor protector 112 to facilitate active protection of peripheralsensors of the vehicle 100. The sensor protector 112 monitors thevehicle 100 for an impending collision, determines portion(s) of thevehicle 100 that may be impacted in response to detecting an impendingcollision, and activates (or triggers) a sensor protection mechanism forthe sensor(s) positioned in the determined portion(s) of the vehicle100. For example, the sensor protector 112 causes the sensor to movefrom its original position to a safe position. The sensor protector 112then continues monitoring the vehicle 100 to determine whether thecollision occurs and, if no collision occurred, the sensor protector 112returns the activated sensors to their original position (e.g., at ornear the periphery of the vehicle 100). However, if a collision doesoccur, the sensor protector 112 requests and analyzes diagnosticinformation from the sensors(s) and/or other control systems of thevehicle (e.g., the BCM 102, the ADAS 104, the IVCM 106 and/or the OBCM108). In some such examples, the sensor protector 112 determines whethereach of the sensors can be returned to their original position, andreturns them to their original position, if appropriate. Otherwise, thesensor protector 112 keeps the respective sensors in their safe positionuntil a proper inspection is performed on the sensors.

In the illustrated example of FIG. 1, the vehicle 100 includes activeprotection sensors 114 that are positioned in the front of the vehicle100 (e.g., in the front bumper of the vehicle 100). Each of the activeprotection sensors 114 is coupled to a corresponding actuator 116 tofacilitate triggering the sensor protection mechanism for the respectiveactive protection sensor 114. For example, a first actuator 116 a iscoupled to a first active protection sensor 114 a. When triggered (e.g.,by the sensor protector 112), the first actuator 116 a can cause thefirst active protection sensor 114 a to move from a non-activatedposition to an activated position. The first actuator 116 a can alsocause the first active protection sensor 114 a to move from theactivated position to the non-activated position. In the illustratedexample, the first active protection sensor 114 a and the first actuator116 a are positioned in the front-left portion of the vehicle 100.

The example vehicle also includes a second actuator 116 b that iscoupled to a second active protection sensor 114 b. Similar to the firstactuator 116 a, the second actuator 116 b is configured to move thesecond active protection sensor 114 b from its non-activated position toits activated position, and from its activated position to itsnon-activated position, when appropriate. In the illustrated example ofFIG. 1, the second active protection sensor 114 b and the secondactuator 116 b are positioned in the front-center portion of the vehicle100.

The example vehicle also includes a third actuator 116 c that is coupledto a third active protection sensor 114 c. Similar to the first actuator116 a and the second actuator 116 b, the third actuator 116 c isconfigured to move the third active protection sensor 114 c from itsnon-activated position to its activated position, and from its activatedposition to its non-activated position, when appropriate. In theillustrated example of FIG. 1, the third active protection sensor 114 cand the third actuator 116 c are positioned in the front-right portionof the vehicle 100.

In the illustrated example, the sensor protector 112 monitors thevehicle 100 for an impending collision. For example, the sensorprotector 112 obtains (e.g., continuously obtains, periodically obtains,and/or aperiodically obtains) information from the sensors and/or othercontrol systems of the vehicle 100 to detect and identify objects (e.g.,vehicles, pedestrians, traffic signs, etc.) around the vehicle 100, inthe path of the vehicle 100, and/or projected to be in the path of thevehicle 100.

When the sensor protector 112 detects an impending collision, the sensorprotector 112 determines a plurality of characteristics associated withthe detected impending collision. For example, the sensor protector 112may determine which portion(s) of the vehicle 100 are likely to beimpacted if the collision occurs (e.g., the front-left side of thevehicle 100), identify one or more active protection sensor(s) 114included in the determined portion(s) of the vehicle 100 (e.g., thefirst active protection sensor 114 a), determine an activation periodbased on when the impending collision is expected to occur (e.g., threeseconds from the moment of detection), the expected direction of impactif the collision occurs, etc. In some examples, the sensor protector 112modifies the determined activation period. For example, the sensorprotector 112 may add a delta (e.g., two seconds) to the expected timeof impact when determining the activation period.

The example sensor protector 112 of FIG. 1 then activates a sensorprotection mechanism for each of the identified active protectionsensors 114. In the illustrated example, the sensor protector 112triggers the corresponding actuator 116 to activate the sensorprotection mechanism. As described below in connection with FIGS. 2 to7, when the sensor protector 112 activates the sensor protectionmechanism for an active protection sensor 114, the active protectionsensor 114 may retract from its non-activated position to its activatedposition, may rotate from its non-activated position to its activatedposition, and/or may rotate-and-retract from its non-activated positionto its activated position.

In some examples, the sensor protector 112 activates the sensorprotection mechanism for an active protection sensor 114 based on anexpected angle and/or position of impact with respect to the vehicle100. For example, in a head-on collision, the sensor protector 112 mayactivate the sensor protection mechanism for one or more of the activeprotection sensors 114 by retracting them from their non-activatedpositions to their activated position to move the respective activeprotection sensors 114 out of an expected crush (or crumple) zone of thefront of the vehicle 100. In other examples, the sensor protector 112may determine that rotating the one or more active protection sensor(s)114 from their non-activated position to their activated position ismore likely to protect the integrity (or functionality) of therespective active protection sensors 114. In other examples, the sensorprotector 112 may determine that rotating-and-retracting the one or moreactive protection sensor(s) 114 from their non-activated position totheir activated position is more likely to protect the integrity of therespective active protection sensors 114.

After the sensor protector 112 triggers the respective sensor protectionmechanisms for the identified active protection sensors 114, the sensorprotector 112 continues monitoring the vehicle 100 for the impendingcollision. For example, the sensor protector 112 may identify changes inthe path of the vehicle 100 and/or the expected object of collision. Insome examples, the sensor protector 112 continues monitoring the vehicle100 for the impending collision until the threat of the impendingcollision is no longer present (e.g., in response to a change in path ofthe vehicle 100 and/or the expected object of collision, an update in animpending collision calculation, etc.). In some examples, the sensorprotector 112 continues monitoring the vehicle 100 for the impendingcollision until the activation period expires. For example, if theactivation period is three seconds, the sensor protector 112 continuesmonitoring the vehicle 100 for the impending collision for threeseconds.

Once the sensor protector 112 determines that the impending collision isnot occurring (or did not occur), the sensor protector 112 causes theactive protection sensors 114 to return to their non-activated position.For example, the sensor protector 112 causes the first actuator 116 a tomove the first active protection sensor 114 a from its activatedposition to its non-activated position.

In the unfortunate scenario where a collision between the vehicle 100and another object does occur, the example sensor protector 112 performspost-impact diagnostics on the active protection sensors 114 of thevehicle 100. By performing post-impact diagnostics, the sensor protector112 is able to confirm that the active protection sensors 114 are ableto be returned to their non-activated positions and are properlyfunctioning (e.g., as designed and calibrated). For example, when thevehicle 100 is manufactured or from time-to-time (e.g., after a majorrepair, etc.), the sensor protector 112 determines (or measures)reference positions (e.g., 2-D coordinates, 3-D coordinates, etc.) ofeach of the active protection sensors 114. In some examples, thereference positions indicate a position of the corresponding activeprotection sensor 114 relative to the vehicle 100 and/or anothercomponent of the vehicle 100. In some examples, the reference positionsinclude an orientation of the active protection sensors 114. Thereference positions are stored in memory (e.g., memory 810 of FIG. 8below) of the vehicle 100 and are used by the sensor protector 112 todetect changes in the position and/or orientation of the activeprotection sensors 114 indicative of a misaligned active protectionsensor and/or a sensor operating with diminished capabilities.

In the illustrated example, respective to a collision occurring, thesensor protector 112 requests diagnostic information from the activeprotection sensors 114 and/or the other control systems of the vehicle100. The obtained diagnostic information may include, for example,whether the sensor protection mechanism was triggered for an activeprotection sensor 114, whether an active protection sensor 114 isdisconnected or experiencing an electrical issue, whether an actuator116 was triggered, whether an active protection sensor 114 was activated(e.g., caused to move from a non-activated position to an activatedposition in response to either a triggered activation or a physicalactivation), position information and/or proximity information of theactive protection sensor 114 relative to the periphery of the vehicle100 and/or relative to another component of the vehicle 100, etc.

The example sensor protector 112 analyzes the obtained diagnosticinformation to determine, for each active protection sensor 114 of thevehicle 100, whether to keep the active protection sensor 114 in itsnon-activated position, keep the active protection sensor 114 in itsactivated position, move the active protection sensor 114 from itsactivated position to its non-activated position, or move the activeprotection sensor 114 from its non-activated position to its activatedposition.

In some examples, to determine whether to keep the first activeprotection sensor 114 a in its non-activated position, the sensorprotector 112 confirms, based on the obtained diagnostic information,that the sensor protector 112 did not trigger activation of the sensorprotection mechanism for the first active protection sensor 114 a.Additionally or alternatively, the sensor protector 112 may confirm,based on the obtained diagnostic information, that the first actuator116 a was not triggered (e.g., by the sensor protector 112).Additionally or alternatively, the sensor protector 112 may confirm,based on the obtained diagnostic information, that the position andorientation information of the first active protection sensor 114 a isthe same as (or within a threshold difference of) the reference positionand orientation information associated with the first active protectionsensor 114 a.

In some examples, to determine whether to keep the first activeprotection sensor 114 a in its activated position, the sensor protector112 confirms, based on the obtained diagnostic information, that thefirst active protection sensor 114 a is not in its non-activatedposition. Additionally or alternatively, the sensor protector 112 mayconfirm, based on the obtained diagnostic information, that the positionand/or orientation information of the first active protection sensor 114a is not the same as (and not within a threshold difference of) thereference position and/or orientation information associated with thefirst active protection sensor 114 a. Additionally or alternatively, thesensor protector 112 may confirm, based on the obtained diagnosticinformation, that the first actuator 116 a is unable to move the firstactive protection sensor 114 a from the activated position to thenon-activated position. For example, the sensor protector 112 maydetermine that there is an electrical disconnection between the firstactuator 116 a and the first active protection sensor 114 a.Additionally or alternatively, the sensor protector 112 may determinethat the structure of the vehicle 100 is damaged and that the firstactive protection sensor 114 a cannot be returned to its originalposition.

In some examples, to determine whether to move the first activeprotection sensor 114 a from its activated position to its non-activatedposition, the sensor protector 112 confirms, based on the obtaineddiagnostic information, that the sensor protection mechanism wasactivated (e.g., triggered activation or physical activation) for thefirst active protection sensor 114 a. Additionally or alternatively, thesensor protector may confirm, based on the obtained diagnosticinformation, that the first actuator 116 a is able to move the firstactive protection sensor 114 a from the activated position to thenon-activated position. In some examples, the sensor protector 112displays, via the infotainment head unit 110, instructions on how tomanually move the first active protection sensor 114 a from itsactivated position to its non-activated position.

In some examples, after the active protection sensor 114 is moved fromthe activated position to the non-activated position (e.g.,automatically by the sensor protector 112 or manually), the sensorprotector 112 verifies that the active protection sensor 114 is in thecorrect position. For example, the sensor protector 112 may requestupdated position and orientation information from the first activeprotection sensor 114 a and compare the updated information to thereference position and orientation information associated with the firstactive protection sensor 114 a. If the sensor protector 112 determinesthat the updated position and orientation information is not the same as(or within a threshold difference of) the reference position andorientation information, the sensor protector 112 determines that thefirst active protection sensor 114 a is not properly calibrated andreturn the first active protection sensor 114 a to its activatedposition.

In some examples, to determine whether to move the first activeprotection sensor 114 a from its non-activated position to its activatedposition, the sensor protector 112 confirms, based on the obtaineddiagnostic information, that the position and/or orientation informationof the first active protection sensor 114 a is not the same as (orwithin a threshold difference of) the reference position and orientationinformation associated with the first active protection sensor 114 a.Additionally or alternatively, the sensor protector 112 may confirm,based on the obtained diagnostic information, that the sensor protectionmechanism for the first active protection sensor 114 a was triggered butthat the position and orientation information of the first activeprotection sensor 114 a indicate that the first active protection sensor114 a did not move to its activated position.

In some examples, after the sensor protector 112 analyzes the obtaineddiagnostic information and determines whether to keep or move each ofthe active protection sensors 114, the sensor protector 112 notifies theuser. For example, the sensor protector 112 may display, via theinfotainment head unit 110, the status of each of the active protectionsensors 114. For example, the sensor protector 112 may generate a modelof the vehicle 100 and display the position of each of the activeprotection sensors 114 relative to the model of the vehicle 100 andwhether the active protection sensor 114 is in the activated position orthe non-activated position. The sensor protector 112 may, additionallyor alternatively, display, based on the obtained diagnostic information,whether any of the active protection sensors 114 are damaged and/or needrepair.

In some examples, the sensor protector 112 generates a report indicatingthe status of each of the active protection sensors 114 of the vehicle100. For example, the generated report may include, for each activeprotection sensor 114, whether the corresponding actuator 116 wasactivated (e.g., prior to the collision), whether the active protectionsensor 114 moved (e.g., during or after the collision), whether theactive protection sensor 114 is in the activated positon or thenon-activated position, whether the active protection sensor 114 wasreturned from the activated position to the non-activated position,whether the active protection sensor 114 was moved from thenon-activated position to the activated position post-impact, and/orwhether the sensor protector 112 determined it was not possible toreturn the active protection sensor 114 from the activated position tothe non-activated position. However, it should be appreciated that thegenerated report may include additional or alternative informationrelated to the status of the active protection sensors 114 and/or theactuators 116.

FIGS. 2 to 5 illustrate an example embodiment of the active protectionsensor 114 of the vehicle 100 of FIG. 1. The active protection sensor114 illustrated in FIGS. 2 to 5 generally includes a sensor 202 that ismounted to an active protection housing 204. The sensor 202 may bemounted to the active protection housing 204 via one or more fasteners.In this example embodiment, the active protection housing 204 includes afront upper bracket 206 and a front lower bracket 208. The front upperbracket 206 and the front lower bracket 208 provide protection to thesensor 202 from direct impacts (e.g., during a collision).

In this illustrated embodiment, the active protection housing 204includes a c-shaped groove 210 that adds a degree of freedom to theactive protection sensor 114. For example, during a collision, the forceof the impact may cause the active protection sensor (e.g., the activeprotection housing 204 and the sensor 202) to rotate along the c-shapedgroove 210 (e.g., swivel around the y-axis).

In this illustrated embodiment, the active protection housing 204 ismounted to a bracket 212 including a bracket arm 214. The bracket 212 isattached to a rail or structure (e.g., a bumper) of the vehicle 100. Forexample, the active protection sensor 114 illustrated in FIGS. 2 to 5may be positioned and embedded within a front bumper of the vehicle 100.

Although now shown in this illustrated embodiment, in some examples, thebracket arm 214 may include a longitudinal groove along the innersurface of the bracket arm 214. In some such examples, the longitudinalgroove may operate as a rail to enable the active protection sensor(e.g., the active protection housing 204 and the sensor 202) to“back-slide” or retract away from the front structure (e.g., the fasciaof the front bumper) of the vehicle 100 due to the force of the impactduring a collision. Thus, even if the sensor protector 112 does notactivate the sensor protection mechanism for the active protectionsensor 114, the active protection sensor includes mechanisms tophysically activate the sensor protection mechanism.

In this example embodiment, the active protection sensor 114 is coupledto the actuator 116. As described above, in some examples, the sensorprotector 112 of FIG. 1 triggers a sensor protection mechanism of theactive protection sensor 114. In this example embodiment, when thesensor protection mechanism is triggered for the active protectionsensor 114, the actuator 116 causes the active protection sensor (e.g.,the active protection housing 204 and the sensor 202) to move from itsnon-activated position. For example, the actuator 116 may cause theactive protection sensor (e.g., the active protection housing 204 andthe sensor 202) to rotate along the c-shaped groove 210 of the activeprotection housing 204. In some examples, the actuator 116 may cause theactive protection sensor (e.g., the active protection housing 204 andthe sensor 202) to “back-slide” or retract away from the front structureof the vehicle 100 along, for example, the longitudinal groove of thebracket arm 214. In some examples, the actuator 116 may cause the activeprotection sensor (e.g., the active protection housing 204 and thesensor 202) to rotate along the c-shaped groove 210 of the activeprotection housing 204 and to retract away from the front structure ofthe vehicle 100 along, for example, the longitudinal groove of thebracket arm 214. As described above, the actuator 116 may also cause theactive protection sensor (e.g., the active protection housing 204 andthe sensor 202) to move from the activated position back to itsnon-activated position.

In this illustrated embodiment, the active protection housing 204includes a proximity sensor 216. The proximity sensor 216 detectsposition and orientation information of the sensor 202, the activeprotection housing 204, and/or, more generally, the active protectionsensor 114 relative to the vehicle 100, the front structure of thevehicle 100 and/or another structure of the vehicle 100. However, itshould be appreciated that other techniques for detecting the positionand/or orientation information of the sensor 202, the active protectionhousing 204, and/or the active protection sensor 114 may additionally oralternatively be used. For example, the sensor 202, the activeprotection housing 204, and/or the active protection sensor 114 mayinclude an accelerometer and/or a gyroscope. In some examples, thesensor 202, the active protection housing 204, and/or the activeprotection sensor 114 may include electrical contacts that align whenproperly calibrated and can become misaligned due to the force of impactduring a collision.

FIG. 6A and FIG. 6B illustrate side diagrammatical views of the vehicle100 including one example embodiment of the active protection sensor 114transitioning from its non-activated position to its activated position.In the illustrated embodiment of FIGS. 6A and 6B, the active protectionsensor 114 “back-slides” or retracts away from the front structure(e.g., the fascia of the bumper) of the vehicle 100. For example, inFIG. 6A, the active protection sensor 114 is positioned in itsnon-activated position at or near the periphery of the vehicle 100. InFIG. 6B, the active protection sensor 114 is positioned in its activatedposition away from the periphery of the vehicle 100. The activeprotection sensor 114 moves from the non-activated position of FIG. 6Ato the activated position of FIG. 6B when the sensor protectionmechanism of the active protection sensor 114 is activated. As describedabove, the sensor protection mechanism may be triggered by the sensorprotector 112 of FIG. 1 (e.g., due to a detected impending collision) orphysically activated (e.g., due to the force of impact during acollision).

FIG. 7A, FIG. 7B, and FIG. 7C illustrate side diagrammatical views ofthe vehicle 100 including one example embodiment of the activeprotection sensor 114 transitioning from its non-activated position toits activated position. In the illustrated embodiment of FIGS. 7A, 7B,and 7C, the active protection sensor 114 rotates away from the frontstructure (e.g., the fascia of the bumper) of the vehicle 100. Forexample, in FIG. 7A, the active protection sensor 114 is positioned inits non-activated position at or near the periphery of the vehicle 100.In FIG. 7B, the active protection sensor 114 rotates into a transitionposition. For example, the active protection sensor 114 may rotate alongthe c-shaped groove 210 of the active protection housing 204 illustratedin FIGS. 2 to 5. In FIG. 7C, the active protection sensor 114“back-slides” away from the transition position to the activatedposition. For example, the active protection sensor 114 may retract awayfrom the front structure (e.g., the fascia of the bumper) of the vehicle100 along a longitudinal groove of the bracket arm 214 of FIGS. 2 to 5.The active protection sensor 114 moves from the non-activated positionof FIG. 7A to the activated position of FIG. 7C when the sensorprotection mechanism of the active protection sensor 114 is activated.As described above, the sensor protection mechanism may be triggered bythe sensor protector 112 of FIG. 1 (e.g., due to a detected impendingcollision) or physically activated (e.g., due to the force of impactduring a collision).

FIG. 8 is a block diagram of electronic components 800 of the vehicle100 of FIG. 1. In the illustrated example, the electronic components 800include the infotainment head unit 110, the sensor protector 112, theactuators 116, electronic control units 802, a communication module 804,sensors 806, and a vehicle data bus 816.

In the illustrated example of FIG. 8, the infotainment head unit 110provides an interface between the vehicle 100 and the user. Theinfotainment head unit 110 includes digital and/or analog interfaces(e.g., input devices and output devices) to receive input from anddisplay information for the user(s). The input devices include, forexample, a control knob, an instrument panel, a digital camera for imagecapture and/or visual command recognition, a touch screen, an audioinput device (e.g., cabin microphone), buttons, or a touchpad. Theoutput devices may include instrument cluster outputs (e.g., dials,lighting devices), actuators, a display device 812 (e.g., a heads-updisplay, a center console display such as a liquid crystal display(LCD), an organic light emitting diode (OLED) display, a flat paneldisplay, a solid state display, etc.), and/or speakers 814. For example,the display device 812, the speakers 814, and/or other output device(s)of the infotainment head unit 110 present information, such as tirepressure measurements, to the user. Further, the infotainment head unit110 of the illustrated example includes hardware (e.g., a processor orcontroller, memory, storage, etc.) and software (e.g., an operatingsystem, etc.) for an infotainment system (such as SYNC® and MyFordTouch® by Ford®. Additionally, the infotainment head unit 110 displaysthe infotainment system on, for example, the display device 812.

In the illustrated example of FIG. 8, the sensor protector 112 includesa processor or controller 808 and memory 810. In some examples, thesensor protector 112, including the processor 808 and the memory 810,may be incorporated into another electronic control unit (ECU) with itsown processor and memory, such as the example ECUs 802.

The processor 808 may be any suitable processing device or set ofprocessing devices such as, but not limited to, a microprocessor, amicrocontroller-based platform, an integrated circuit, one or more fieldprogrammable gate arrays (FPGAs), and/or one or moreapplication-specific integrated circuits (ASICs).

The memory 810 may be volatile memory (e.g., RAM including non-volatileRAM, magnetic RAM, ferroelectric RAM, etc.), non-volatile memory (e.g.,disk memory, FLASH memory, EPROMs, EEPROMs, memristor-based non-volatilesolid-state memory, etc.), unalterable memory (e.g., EPROMs), read-onlymemory, and/or high-capacity storage devices (e.g., hard drives, solidstate drives, etc.). In some examples, the memory 810 includes multiplekinds of memory, particularly volatile memory and non-volatile memory.

The memory 810 is computer readable media on which one or more sets ofinstructions, such as the software for operating the methods of thepresent disclosure, can be embedded. The instructions may embody one ormore of the methods or logic as described herein. For example, theinstructions reside completely, or at least partially, within any one ormore of the memory 810, the computer readable medium, and/or within theprocessor 808 during execution of the instructions.

The terms “non-transitory computer-readable medium” and“computer-readable medium” include a single medium or multiple media,such as a centralized or distributed database, and/or associated cachesand servers that store one or more sets of instructions. Further, theterms “non-transitory computer-readable medium” and “computer-readablemedium” include any tangible medium that is capable of storing, encodingor carrying a set of instructions for execution by a processor or thatcause a system to perform any one or more of the methods or operationsdisclosed herein. As used herein, the term “computer readable medium” isexpressly defined to include any type of computer readable storagedevice and/or storage disk and to exclude propagating signals.

The actuators 116 are coupled (e.g., electrically coupled) to the activeprotection sensors 114. In the illustrated example, the actuators 116are electric actuators that convert electrical energy into mechanicaltorque to move the active protection sensors 114 from their respectivenon-activated positions to their activated positions. For example, thefirst actuator 116 a may cause the first active protection sensor 114 ato move from non-activated position to its activated position inresponse to the sensor protector 112 detecting an impending collision.The example actuators 116 may also move the active protection sensors114 from their respective activated position to their non-activatedpositions. For example, the first actuator 116 a may cause the firstactive protection sensor 114 a to move its activated position to itsnon-activated position in response to the sensor protector 112determining that the detected impending collision did not occur, or inresponse to the sensor protector 112 determining a collision occurredand that the first active protection sensor 114 a can be returned to itsnon-activated position. It should be appreciated that other techniquesfor moving the active protection sensors 114 between their respectivenon-activated position and their activated position may additionally oralternatively be used.

The electronic control units 802 monitor and control the subsystems ofthe vehicle 100. For example, the ECUs 802 are discrete sets ofelectronics that include their own circuit(s) (e.g., integratedcircuits, microprocessors, memory, storage, etc.) and firmware, sensors,actuators, and/or mounting hardware. The ECUs 802 communicate andexchange information via a vehicle data bus (e.g., the vehicle data bus816). Additionally, the ECUs 802 may communicate properties (e.g.,status of the ECUs 802, sensor readings, control state, error anddiagnostic codes, etc.) to and/or receive requests from each other. Forexample, the vehicle 100 may have seventy or more of the ECUs 802 thatare positioned in various locations around the vehicle 100 and arecommunicatively coupled by the vehicle data bus 816. In the illustratedexample, the ECUs 802 include the BCM 102, the ADAS 104, the IVCM 106,the OBCM 108, and the sensor protector 112.

Although shown separately in FIG. 8, it should be appreciated that thesensor protector 112 is an electronic control unit of the vehicle 100.

In some examples, the ECUs 802 include an autonomy unit that controlsperformance of autonomous and/or semi-autonomous driving maneuvers ofthe vehicle 100 based upon, at least in part, image(s) and/or video thatare received and/or captured by the sensors 806 and/or received fromanother ECU of the vehicle 100.

The communication module 804 includes one or more antennas configured toreceive data from one or more sources. For example, the communicationmodule 804 may be communicatively coupled to the sensor protector 112,the active protection sensors 114, the actuators 116, and/or the sensors806.

The sensors 806 may be arranged in and around the vehicle 100 in anysuitable fashion. The sensors 806 may mounted to measure propertiesaround the exterior of the vehicle 100. Additionally, some sensors 806may be mounted inside the cabin of the vehicle 100 or in the body of thevehicle 100 (such as, the engine compartment, the wheel wells, etc.) tomeasure properties in the interior of the vehicle 100. For example, suchsensors 806 may include accelerometers, odometers, tachometers, pitchand yaw sensors, wheel speed sensors, microphones, tire pressuresensors, image cameras, video cameras, and biometric sensors, etc. Inthe illustrated example, the sensors 806 include range detectionsensors. The range detection sensors are sensors that detect and measureobjects (such as a target vehicle or object) in the vicinity of thevehicle 100. The sensors 806 may include, for example, RADAR, LiDAR,ultrasonic sensors, and/or infrared sensors, etc.

In some examples, one or more of the sensors 806 are periphery sensorsthat are mounted in an active protection housing, such as the examplesensors 202 mounted in the example active protection housing 204 of theactive protection sensors 114 of FIGS. 2 to 5.

The vehicle data bus 816 communicatively couples the infotainment headunit 110, the sensor protector 112, the actuators 116, the communicationmodule 804, the sensors 806, and the electronic control units 802,including the BCM 102, the ADAS 104, the IVCM 106, and the OBCM 108. Insome examples, the vehicle data bus 816 includes one or more data buses.The vehicle data bus 816 may be implemented in accordance with acontroller area network (CAN) bus protocol as defined by InternationalStandards Organization (ISO) 11898-1, a Media Oriented Systems Transport(MOST) bus protocol, a CAN flexible data (CAN-FD) bus protocol (ISO11898-7) and/a K-line bus protocol (ISO 9141 and ISO 14230-1), and/or anEthernet™ bus protocol IEEE 802.3 (2002 onwards), etc.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart of a method 900 to activate active protectionsensors of a vehicle in response to detecting an impending collision,which may be implemented by the electronic components 800 of FIG. 8.Initially, at block 902, the example sensor protector 112 monitors thevehicle 100 for an impending collision. For example, the sensorprotector 112 uses information provided by the ECUs 802, the sensors 806and/or the active protection sensors 114 to detect and identify objects(e.g., vehicles, pedestrians, traffic signs, etc.) around the vehicle100, in the path of the vehicle 100, and/or projected to be in the pathof the vehicle 100. If, at block 904, the sensor protector 112 detectsan impending collision, then, at block 906, the sensor protector 112determines portion(s) of the vehicle 100 that may be impacted by theimpending collision. The example sensor protector 112 also identifiesone or more active protection sensor(s) 114 of the vehicle 100 based onthe determined portion(s) of the vehicle 100 that may be impacted by theimpending collision. For example, the sensor protector 112 may detect animpending collision where a target vehicle is expected to impact thefront-left side of the vehicle 100. The sensor protector 112 may thenalso identify that the first active protection sensor 114 a of thevehicle 100 may be impacted by the detected impending collision.

At block 908, the sensor protector 112 activates sensor protection forthe identified active protection sensor(s) 114. For example, the sensorprotector 112 may cause the first actuator 116 a to move the firstactive protection sensor 114 a (e.g., the active protection housing 204and the sensor 202) from a non-activated position of the first activeprotection sensor 114 a to an activated position of the first activeprotection sensor 114 a. In some examples, the sensor protector 112causes (e.g., triggers) the first actuator 116 a to retract the firstactive protection sensor 114 a from the periphery of the vehicle 100 (asshown in FIG. 6A and FIG. 6B). In some examples, the sensor protector112 causes (e.g., triggers) the first actuator 116 a to rotate the firstactive protection sensor 114 a to the activated position (as shown inFIG. 7A, FIG. 7B, and FIG. 7C) to change the position of the expectedimpact relative to the sensor. In some examples, the sensor protector112 determines which activated position to move the identified activeprotection sensor(s) 114 based on an expected (or predicted) angleand/or position of impact with respect to the vehicle 100.

At block 910, the sensor protector 112 determines whether the detectedimpending collision occurred. In some examples, the sensor protector 112waits for an activation period to expire before determining whether thedetected impending collision occurred. For example, when the sensorprotector 112 detects the impending collision (at block 904), the sensorprotector 112 may also determine an activation period based on when theimpending collision is expected to occur (e.g., three seconds from themoment of detection, etc.).

If, at block 910, the sensor protector 112 determines that the detectedimpending collision did not occur (and the activation period expired),then, at block 912, the sensor protector 112 returns the activatedactive protection sensor(s) 114 to their non-activated positions. Forexample, the sensor protector 112 may cause the first actuator 116 a tocause the first active protection sensor 114 a to move from theactivated (or “safe”) position to the non-activated (or “original”)position. Control then returns to block 902 and the sensor protector 112continues monitoring the vehicle 100 for an impending collision.

If, at block 910, the sensor protector 112 determines that the detectedimpending collision did occur, then, at block 914, the sensor protector112 performs post-impact diagnostics on the active protection sensor(s)114 of the vehicle 100. An example technique for performing post-impactdiagnostics is described below in connection with the example method1000 of FIG. 10. Control then returns to block 902 and the sensorprotector 112 continues monitoring the vehicle 100 for an impendingcollision.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart of a method 1000 to perform post-impactdiagnostics of the active protection sensors of the vehicle, which maybe implemented by the electronic components 800 of FIG. 8. As describedabove, the active protection sensor(s) 114 of the vehicle 100 may bepositioned in an activated position in response to the sensor protector112 detecting an impending collision (e.g., a triggered activation ofthe sensor protection mechanism) and/or in response to an actualcollision (e.g., when the sensor protector 112 did not detect animpending collision or did not detect an impending collision earlyenough to trigger the actuation of the active protection sensor(s) 114,and a collision occurred) (e.g., a physical activation of the sensorprotection mechanism). The example method 1000 of FIG. 10 is performedin response to the sensor protector 112 detecting a collision of thevehicle 100.

Initially, at block 1002, the sensor protector 112 obtains diagnosticinformation from the active protection sensors 114 of the vehicle 100.For example, the sensor protector 112 may obtain diagnostic informationindicating whether the first active protection sensor 114 a isdisconnected or experiencing an electrical issue, whether the firstactuator 116 a was triggered, whether the first active protection sensor114 a was activated (e.g., caused to move from a non-activated positionto an activated position in response to either a triggered activation ora physical activation), proximity information of the first activeprotection sensor 114 a relative to the periphery of the vehicle 100and/or relative to another component of the vehicle 100, etc. The sensorprotector 112 may also obtain diagnostic information from additionalsensors of the vehicle 100 (e.g., non-active protection sensors) and/orother ECUs 802 of the vehicle 100.

At block 1004, the sensor protector 112 determines whether an actuatorfor a corresponding active protection sensor was triggered. For example,the sensor protector 112 may select an active protection sensor (e.g.,the first active protection sensor 114 a) and determine, based on theobtained diagnostic information, whether the first actuator 116 a wastriggered by the sensor protector 112 to activate sensor protection forthe first active protection sensor 116 a.

If, at block 1004, the sensor protector 112 determined that the actuatorfor the selected active protection sensor was not triggered, then, atblock 1006, the sensor protector 112 determines, based on the obtaineddiagnostic information, whether the corresponding active protectionsensor moved. For example, the sensor protector 112 may compare currentpositional information of the first active protection sensor 114 a toreference position information associated with the first activeprotection sensor 114 a to determine whether the first active protectionsensor 114 a moved. Additionally or alternatively, the sensor protector112 may determine whether the active protection sensor 114 a moved basedon a change in alignment of electrical contacts between the activeprotection housing 204 and the sensor 202 of the active protectionsensor. However, it should be appreciated that other techniques fordetermining whether the active protection sensor moved (such as viaproximity sensors, etc.) may additionally or alternatively be used.

If, at block 1006, the sensor protected 112 determined that the activeprotection sensor did not move, then control proceeds to block 1014 andthe active protection sensor stays in the non-activated position.Control then proceeds to block 1016 to determine whether there isanother active protection sensor to process (e.g., an unprocessed activeprotection sensor).

Returning to block 1004, if, at block 1004, the sensor protector 112determined that the actuator for the selected active protection sensorwas triggered, then control proceeds to block 1008 to determine whetherthe active protection sensor can be returned to its non-activatedposition.

After the sensor protector 112 determined that the actuator for theselected active protection sensor was triggered (at block 1004), orafter the sensor protector 112 determined that the selected activeprotection sensor moved (at block 1006), then, at block 1008, the sensorprotector 112 determines whether the active protection sensor can bereturned to its non-activated position. For example, the sensorprotector 112 may use diagnostic information from the first activeprotection sensor 114 a and/or the first actuator 116, informationprovided by another sensor 806, and/or information provided by anotherECU 802 to determine whether the first active protection sensor 114 acan be returned to its non-activated position.

If, at block 1008, the sensor protector 112 determined that the selectedactive protection sensor cannot be returned to its non-activatedposition (e.g., due to an electrical issue with the actuator and/or theactive protection sensor, due to a change in the path of the activeprotection sensor from the activated position to the non-activatedposition, etc.), then, at block 1010, the sensor protector 112 keeps theactive protection sensor in the activated position. In some examples,the sensor protector 112 may notify the user of the determination tokeep the active protection sensor in the activated position. Forexample, the sensor protector 112 may display, via the display device812 of the infotainment head unit 110, a model of the vehicle 100including the active protection sensor(s) in the activated position.Control then proceeds to block 1016 to determine whether there isanother active protection sensor to process (e.g., an unprocessed activeprotection sensor).

If, at block 1008, the sensor protector 112 determined that the selectedactive protection sensor can be returned to its non-activated position,then the sensor protector 112 causes the corresponding actuator 116 tomove the selected active protection sensor from the activated positionto the non-activated position. Control then proceeds to block 1016 todetermine whether there is another active protection sensor to process(e.g., an unprocessed active protection sensor).

In some examples, after returning the active protection sensor to thenon-activated position (e.g., at block 1012), the sensor protector 112may request updated position information from the active protectionsensor and compare the updated position information to the referenceposition information to determine whether the active protection sensormoved. For example, while the actuator was able to return the activeprotection sensor to its non-activated position, the sensor of theactive protection sensor may be misaligned with respect to itscalibrated (or reference) position. In some such examples, the sensorprotector 112 may return the active protection sensor to its activatedposition. Control may then proceed to block 1010.

If, at block 1016, the sensor protector 112 determined that there isanother active protection sensor to process, control returns to block1004 to determine whether the corresponding actuator was triggered.

If, at block 1016, the sensor protector 112 determined that there is notanother active protection sensor to process, the example method 1000 ofFIG. 10 ends. In some examples, the example method 1000 of FIG. 10returns to block 902 of the method 900 of FIG. 9 and the sensorprotector 112 continues monitoring the vehicle 100 for an impendingcollision.

Although the example method 1000 of FIG. 10 illustrates the activeprotector 112 iteratively processing the active protection sensors 114of the vehicle 100, it should be appreciated that in additional oralternative embodiments, the active protector 112 may process two ormore of the active protection sensors 114 in parallel (e.g., at orsubstantially near the same time).

The flowcharts of FIGS. 9 and 10 are representative of machine readableinstructions stored in memory (such as the memory 810 of FIG. 8) thatcomprise one or more programs that, when executed by a processor (suchas the processor 808 of FIG. 8), cause the vehicle 100 to implement theexample sensor protector 112 of FIG. 1 and/or FIG. 8. Further, althoughthe example program(s) is/are described with reference to the flowchartsillustrated in FIGS. 9 and 10, many other methods of implementing theexample sensor protector 112 may alternatively be used. For example, theorder of execution of the blocks may be changed, and/or some of theblocks described may be changed, eliminated, or combined.

In this application, the use of the disjunctive is intended to includethe conjunctive. The use of definite or indefinite articles is notintended to indicate cardinality. In particular, a reference to “the”object or “a” and “an” object is intended to denote also one of apossible plurality of such objects. Further, the conjunction “or” may beused to convey features that are simultaneously present instead ofmutually exclusive alternatives. In other words, the conjunction “or”should be understood to include “and/or.” The terms “includes,”“including,” and “include” are inclusive and have the same scope as“comprises,” “comprising,” and “comprise” respectively.

The above-described embodiments, and particularly any “preferred”embodiments, are possible examples of implementations and merely setforth for a clear understanding of the principles of the invention. Manyvariations and modifications may be made to the above-describedembodiment(s) without substantially departing from the spirit andprinciples of the techniques described herein. All modifications areintended to be included herein within the scope of this disclosure andprotected by the following claims.

1-14. (canceled)
 15. An apparatus comprising: a housing including a front upper bracket, a front lower bracket, and a groove; and a sensor mounted to the housing and positioned between the front upper bracket and the front lower bracket, wherein the housing and the sensor rotate along the groove of the housing.
 16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the housing is mounted to a bracket including a bracket arm.
 17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the bracket is attached to a structure of a vehicle.
 18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the bracket arm includes a longitudinal groove.
 19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the housing and the sensor retract from a first position to a second position along the longitudinal groove of the bracket arm.
 20. The apparatus of 15, wherein the housing includes a first electrical contact, the sensor includes a second electrical contact, and wherein the first electrical contact and the second electrical contact are aligned. 